Mobile track surfacing machine

ABSTRACT

In a track surfacing machine, a vibratory surface tamper is mounted on a vertically adjustable carrier on the machine frame, and a generally planar resilient plate for damping the vibrations of the surface tamper is mounted between the tamper and the carrier.

limited States Patent Pllasser et al.

[54] MOBILE TRACK SURFACING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Franz Plasser; JosefTheurer, both of Johannesgrasse 3, A-l0l0 Vienna, Austria [22] Filed:Mar. 13, 1970 [2]] App]. No.: 19,339

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 4, I969 Austria ..A 3366/69[52] [1.8. CI ..l04/l2 [51] lnt.Cl ..E0lb 27/16 [58] Field ofSearch..l04/l2,10, 11; 105/368 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,387,567 6/1968 Reynolds ..l04/l2 [451 Mar.2&1l972' PrimaryExaminer-Arthur L. La Point Assistant Examiner-Richard A. BertschAttorney-Kurt Kelman [57] ABSTRACT In a track surfacing machine, avibratory surface tamper is mounted on a vertically adjustable carrieron the machine frame, and a generally planar resilient plate for dampingthe vibrations of the surface tamper is mounted between the tamper andthe carrier.

13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR28 1972 ,lll

MOBILE TRACK SURFACING MACHINE The present invention relates toimprovements in mobile track surfacing machines, such as track tampersand/or track leveling or lining machines.

It has been proposed to mount on the frame of such machines a vibratorysurface tamping body, the vertical adjustment of a carrier for this bodyplacing a tamping face of the tamping body in tamping contact with thesurface of the track ballast laterally adjacent the track and/or in acrib. Vibrating means is operatively associated with, and preferablymounted in, the surface tamping body for vibrating the body.

It is the primary object of this invention to protect the machine framein a simple and effective manner from the vibrations of the surfacetamper and simultaneously to increase the efficiency of the tamper bykeeping at least a substantial portion of the vibratory power in thesurface tamper instead of it being transmitted to the frame where it is,of course, lost.

Through the achievement of this object, it is possible to operate thevibratory surface tamper at its maximum vibratory power withoutendangering the mounting parts of the surface tamper and thus to shortentheir useful life.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with theinvention with means for damping the vibrations of the surface tampingbody mounted between the tamping body and the carrier.

Since such positioning of the damping means may be limited to arelatively small region, the damping means may be relatively small andcompact. Suitable design of the damping means will also make it possiblefor the tamping face of the surface tamper to make firm contact with thesurface of the ballast so that the tamper will operate at highestefficiency.

According to a preferred feature of the present invention, the surfacetamping body has a generally planar tamping face and the damping meansis a generally planar resilient element extending in a plansubstantially parallel to, or forming an acute angle with, the tampingface. This planar configuration of the damping means produces anadvantageously even distribution of the tamping forces over a relativelylarge area of ballast but also assures a firm contact between thetamping face of the surface tamper and the ballast, even where thelatter has a rather uneven surface.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of this inventionwill become more apparent in the following detailed description ofcertain now preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of acombined track leveling and lining machine of generally conventionalconstruction,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting of a surface tamper on themachine frame according to the invention,

FIG. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of another embodiment of themounting surface tamper, and

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification of the damping means illustrated inFIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing and first to FIG. 1, there is shown theelongated frame 1 of a combined track leveling and lining machinerunning on track 3 on wheels 2, the track ties 4 resting on ballast bed8.

An overhanging portion of the machine frame carries the track liftingapparatus 5 and the tie tamping means 6 for fixing the leveled track inposition after it has been graded by apparatus 5. A track liningapparatus 7 is mounted between the front and rear wheels to move thetrack laterally. In addition to the tamping means 6, which tamp theballast underneath the ties, the machine frame also carries an elongatedsurface tamper 9 for tamping the ballast laterally adjacent the track inthe general region of the track lining apparatus so that the ballast maybe tamped on the side of the track from which it has been laterallymoved during lining. As indicated in broken lines, a similar surfacetamper 9 may also be carried on the frame in the region of the tracklifting apparatus 5. A carrier 10 is mounted on frame 1 for verticaladjustment so as to place a tamping face of the tamping body 9 intamping contact with the surface of the track ballast. The illustratedmachine also includes another surface tamper 11 for tamping the cribs,this tamper being mounted on carrier 13 which is vertically adjustableby pressure fluid drive 12. The surface tampers are vibratory.

All of the above-described structure is generally conventional, and thevibratory surface tampers mounted according to the present inventionwill now be described in connection with some preferred embodiments.

Referring first to FIG. 2, there is shown a carrier arm 14 mounted onmachine frame 1 for vertical adjustment, as indicated by thedouble-headed arrow, for instance by being pivoted to the frame, onlythe outer end of the carrier being shown. To make the distance of thesurface tamper carried by arm 14 adjustable in relation to the machineframe, the surface tamping body is mounted on the carrier 14 by means ofa bearing 15, the carrier 14 being glidably joumaled in the hearing andfixed thereto at selected distances from the machine frame. Threadedbolts, screws or the like 15' affix mounting plate 16 to the carrier 14.

The hollow surface tamping body comprises a channelshaped upper part 23and a lower channel-shaped part 22, the lower part being telescoped intothe upper part and being affixed, for instance by welding, to a U-shapedmember 21 whose horizontally extending web moves in a cut-out in theupper part 23. A vibrating means constituted in the illustratedembodiment by a cam shaft 24 is operatively associated with the surfacetamping body, extending through its hollow interior, to vibrate thebody, parts 22 and 23 forming a housing for the cam shaft.

According to the invention, a vibration damping means is mounted betweenthe tamping body and the carrier 14, the damping means shown in FIG. 2being interposed between mounting plate 16 and a parallel mounting plateconstituted by the horizontal web of U-shaped member 21. The illustrateddamping means is a generally planar resilient element constituted by asolid plate 17 of rubber or like elastic material. The surface tamperpart 22 has a generally planar tamping face 22a and the rubber plate 17extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the tampingface. As shown, the damping plate is spaced from the mounting plates 16,21, being sandwiched therebetween.

As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the elastic damping plate 17 is attached tothe mounting plates 16, 21 at spaced points, the attachment pointsbetween the plate 17 and one of the mounting plates being staggered fromthe attachment points of plate 17 and the other mounting plate. Theattachment points extend in parallel rows transversely of thelongitudinal extension of the surface tamping body, the rows ofattachment points with one mounting plate being staggered from the rowsof attachment points with the other mounting plate. A series ofelongated convex spacing members 18 are interposed at the attachmentpoints between the damping plate 17 and the mounting plates 16 and 21,the spacing members being parallel to each other and the convex portionsof these members contacting the respective mounting plates. A likeseries of elongated convex anchoring members 19 are interleaved betweenthe spacing members, with pairs of one spacing member and one anchoringmember being in register. The spacing member 18 of each pair isinterposed between plate 17 and one mounting plate 16 or 21, and theanchoring member 1? of each pair is interposed between the plate 17 andthe other mounting plate. Fastening means, such as the illustratedthreaded bolts 20 connect each pair of spacing and anchoring members toa respective one of the mounting plates, the bolts passing through theconvex anchoring member in contact with the damping plate 17, throughthe damping plate, and through the convex spacing member in contact withthe opposite mounting plate into this plate.

Another embodiment of the damping means is shown in FIG. 3. In thisembodiment, the vibratory surface tamper is mounted for tamping theballast 8 laterally adjacent ties 4 of track 3. The pivotal carrier 14of the surface tamper is linked to laterally extending arm 26 which ispivotal in a vertical plane by means of pressure fluid drive 27 whoseone end is linked to bracket 29 mounted on machine frame 1 while theother end thereof is linked to the pivotal arm 26. This arm, on theother hand, is linked to the carrier 14 and to bracket 30 on frame 1,respectively, a further pressure fluid drive 28 being linked to thecarrier and to bracket 30, respectively, for proper placing of thevibratory surface tamper on the ballast. The tamper includes anelongated part 22 having a tamping face and a mounting plate 21,similarly to the embodiment of FIG. 2. Also similarly to FIG. 2, thecarrier has affixed thereto a mounting plate 16'. At least threefastening members, such as bolts 20, are evenly distributed over theplane of the planar rigid elements 16 and connect the mounting plate 21'of the surface tamper to the mounting plate 16 of the carrier.

The damping means in this embodiment consists of highly elastic,yielding damping elements associated with the bolts 20. In FIG. 3, apair of frusto-conical sleeves are coaxially mounted on the bolts, beinganchored between the carrier 14 and the mounting plate 16', spacingmembers being interposed between the mounting plate 16 and the mountingplate 21' of the surface tamper, although such damping elements may alsobe anchored between the tamper part 22 and the mounting plate 21. Asshown in FIG. 3, the frusto-conical yielding sleeves 25 of each pairtaper towards each other.

In the modification of FIG. 4, only a single frusto-conical yieldingsleeve is anchored between the mounting plate 16' and the carrier 14'.In both modifications of this embodiment of the tamping means, the evendistribution of at least three attachment points is important toincrease the efficiency of the surface tamper and to avoid transmissionof the vibrations to the machine frame.

While certain preferred embodiments have been described and illustrated,many modifications and variations may occur to those skilled in thisart, particularly after benefiting from the present teaching, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention as definedin the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A mobile track surfacing machine comprising 1. a frame,

2. a carrier mounted for vertical adjustment on the frame,

3. a vibratory surface tamping body having a generally planar tampingface mounted on the carrier,

a. vertical adjustment of the carrier placing the tamping face of thetamping body in tamping contact with the surface of the track ballast,

4. vibrating means operatively associated with the surface tamping bodyfor vibrating the body, and

5. a generally planar resilient means for damping the vibrations ofthesurface tamping body,

a. the resilient means being mounted between the tamping body and thecarrier, and being attached thereto at a multiplicity of attachmentpoints substantially evenly distributed over the area of the resilientdamping means.

2. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 1, wherein the carrierextends laterally from the frame for placing the surface tamping body incontact with the ballast laterally adjacent the track, and the resilientdamping means extends in a plane forming an acute angle with the planeof the tamping face.

3. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 1, wherein the vibrationdamping means includes a solid plate of elastic material.

4. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 3, further comprising apair of mounting plates for the solid elastic damping plate, one of themounting plates being affixed to the carrier and the other mountingplate being affixed to the surface tamping body, and the elastic dampingplate being sandwiched between, spaced from, and attached to, themounting plates.

5. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 1, wherein the dampingmeans comprises a generally planar rigid element affixed to the carrier,at least three fastening members evenly distributed over the plane ofthe rigid element for connecting the surface tamping body to the rigidelement, and highly elastic, yielding damping elements associated withthe fastening members.

6. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 5, wherein the fasteningmembers are threaded bolts, and the damping elements are frustoconicalsleeves coaxially mounted on the bolts.

7. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 1, wherein the resilientdamping means extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane ofthe tamping face.

8. A mobile track surfacing machine comprising 1. a frame,

2. a carrier mounted for vertical adjustment on the frame,

3. a vibratory surface tamping body having a generally planar tampingface mounted on the carrier,

a. vertical adjustment of the carrier placing the tamping face of thetamping body in tamping contact with the surface of the track ballast,

4. vibrating means operatively associated with the surface tamping bodyfor vibrating the body,

5. a generally planar resilient means for damping the vibrations of thesurface tamping body, and

6. a pair of mounting plates for the resilient damping means,

a. one ofthe mounting plates being affixed to the carrier,

b. the other mounting plate being affixed to the surface tamping body,and

c. the resilient damping means being sandwiched between,

spaced from, and attached to, the mounting plates at spaced points, theattachment points being substantially evenly distributed over the areaof the mounting plates.

9. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 8, wherein the resilientdamping means is a solid plate of elastic material being substantiallycoextensive with the mounting plates.

10. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 9, wherein theattachment points between the elastic damping plate and one of themounting plates is staggered from the attachment points of the dampingplate and the other mounting plate.

11. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 10, wherein theattachment points extend in parallel rows transversely of thelongitudinal extension of the surface tamping body, the rows ofattachment points with one mounting plate being staggered from the rowsof attachment points with the other mounting plate.

12. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 11, further comprising aseries of elongated convex spacing members between the damping plate anda respective one of the mounting plates arranged in said parallel rows,a like series of elongated convex anchoring members, pairs of onespacing member and one anchoring member being in register, with thespacing member being interposed between the damping plate and onemounting plate and the anchoring member being interposed between thedamping plate and the other mounting plate, and means for fastening thespacing member and anchoring member of each pair to a respective one ofthe mounting plates.

13. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 12, wherein thefastening means are threaded bolts passing through the convex anchoringmember in contact with the damping plate, through the damping plate, andthrough the convex spacing member in contact with the opposite mountingplate into said mounting plate.

101029 OlOB

1. A mobile track surfacing machine comprising
 1. a frame,
 2. a carriermounted for vertical adjustment on the frame,
 3. a vibratory surfacetamping body having a generally planar tamping face mounted on thecarrier, a. vertical adjustment of the carrier placing the tamping faceof the tamping body in tamping contact with the surface of the trackballast,
 4. vibrating means operatively associated with the surfacetamping body for vibrating the body, and
 5. a generally planar resilientmeans for damping the vibrations of the surface tamping body, a. theresilient means being mounted between the tamping body and the carrier,and being attached thereto at a multiplicity of attachment pointssubstantially evenly distributed over the area of the resilient dampingmeans.
 2. a carrier mounted for vertical adjustment on the frame,
 2. Themobile track surfacing machine of claim 1, wherein the carrier extendslaterally from the frame for placing the surface tamping body in contactwith the ballast laterally adjacent the track, and the resilient dampingmeans extends in a plane forming an acute angle with the plane of thetamping face.
 2. a carrier mounted for vertical adjustment on the frame,3. a vibratory surface tamping body having a generally planar tampingface mounted on the carrier, a. vertical adjustment of the carrierplacing the tamping face of the tamping body in tamping contact with thesurface of the track ballast,
 3. The mobile track surfacing machine ofclaim 1, wherein the vibration damping means includes a solid plate ofelastic material.
 3. a vibratory surface tamping body having a generallyplanar tamping face mounted on the carrier, a. vertical adjustment ofthe carrier placing the tamping face of the tamping body in tampingcontact with the surface of the track ballast,
 4. vibrating meansoperatively associated with the surface tamping body for vibrating thebody, and
 4. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 3, furthercomprising a pair of mounting plates for the solid elastic dampingplate, one of the mounting plates being affixed to the carrier and theother mounting plate being affixed to the surface tamping body, and theelastic damping plate being sandwiched between, spaced from, andattached to, the mounting plates.
 4. vibrating means operativelyassociated with the surface tamping body for vibrating the body,
 5. agenerally planar resilient means for damping the vibrations of thesurface tamping body, and
 5. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim1, wherein the damping means comprises a generally planar rigid elementaffixed to the carrier, at least three fastening members evenlydistributed over the plane of the rigid element for connecting thesurface tamping body to the rigid element, and highly elastic, yieldingdamping elements associated with the fastening members.
 5. a generallyplanar resilient means for damping the vibrations of the surface tampingbody, a. the resilient means being mounted between the tamping body andthe carrier, and being attached thereto at a multiplicity of attachmentpoints substantially evenly distributed over the area of the resilientdamping means.
 6. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 5, whereinthe fastening members are threaded bolts, and the damping elements arefrustoconical sleeves coaxially mounted on the bolts.
 6. a pair ofmounting plates for the resilient damping means, a. one of the mountingplates being affixed to the carrier, b. the other mounting plate beingaffixed to the surface tamping body, and c. the resilient damping meansbeing sandwiched between, spaced from, and attached to, the mountingplates at spaced points, the attachment points being substantiallyevenly distributed over the area of the mounting plates.
 7. The mobiletrack surfacing machine of claim 1, wherein the resilient damping meansextends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the tampingface.
 8. A mobile track surfacing machine comprising
 9. The mobile tracksurfacing machine of claim 8, wherein the resilient damping means is asolid plate of elastic material being substantially coextensive with themounting plates.
 10. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 9,wherein the attachment points between the elastic damping plate and oneof the mounting plates is staggered from the attachment points of thedamping plate and the other mounting plate.
 11. The mobile tracksurfacing machine of claim 10, wherein the attachment points extend inparallel rows transversely of the longitudinal extension of the surfacetamping body, the rows of attachment points with one mounting platebeing staggered from the rows of attachment points with the othermounting plate.
 12. The mobile track surfacing machine of claim 11,further comprising a series of elongated convex spacing members betweenthe damping plate and a respective one of the mounting plates arrangedin said parallel rows, a like series of elongated convex anchoringmembers, pairs of one spacing member and one anchoring member being inregister, with the spacing member being interposed between the dampingplate and one mountinG plate and the anchoring member being interposedbetween the damping plate and the other mounting plate, and means forfastening the spacing member and anchoring member of each pair to arespective one of the mounting plates.
 13. The mobile track surfacingmachine of claim 12, wherein the fastening means are threaded boltspassing through the convex anchoring member in contact with the dampingplate, through the damping plate, and through the convex spacing memberin contact with the opposite mounting plate into said mounting plate.